


An Education

by ailiblue



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mythology, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 12:36:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9272114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ailiblue/pseuds/ailiblue
Summary: Jongdae gets sent to another school as an exchange student and never realized there was so much to learn.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hakkais_shadow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hakkais_shadow/gifts).



> Warning: Unbeta’d.
> 
> Originally written for SNCJ's 2016 Secret Santa round.

  
“I think I’m in the wrong place.”  
  
The man standing in front of him looks down at a clipboard and seemingly matches the name to the luggage already being carried away down the stone halls. “Nope, I think this is you.”  
  
He turns the clipboard and points to Jongdae’s name clearly printed at the top. There’s also a smiling picture of himself looking back at him. He frowns at the picture. _Traitor._ His picture arches one eyebrow at him and sheepishly slinks out of the frame.  
  
“You know, we are very pleased to have you here at school. It’s not every day we get celestial beings,” he waves a gloved hand at the direction of up. “here. I mean, we’re just little sprites and demons from little ole Earth- “  
  
“Can I get a tour please?” Jongdae doesn’t particularly want to hear this guy go on. Most of it felt like flattery and unearned flattery at that. He was from the celestial plane, yes. He has something like existence, yes. But still…  
  
“Well, where shall we start?”  
  
The man was looking at Jongdae again, hopeful. For someone with a heart of steel, Jongdae melted easily.  
  
“The library, please.”  
  
  
  
As it turns out, the man who greeted Jongdae was an upperclassman named Junmyeon. Despite being an upperclassman, Junmyeon looked really young, even in comparison to Jongdae himself. It was hard to tell with supernaturals how old they were, but time ran different on Earth than back home. Jongdae could’ve been older than all of them for all he knew. He probably was.  
  
“I’m really glad to hear you like the library. Most of the younger kids just like running around in the gardens. They’re very beautiful and vast but- “  
  
“YO SIREN.”  
  
Jongdae was very well acquainted with anger. A couple dozen thousand years of it helped. Right then he saw a flash of anger- _no, something a little bit less intense… annoyance!_ flit in Junmyeon’s eyes before they both turn to the loud voice at the entrance.  
  
Two boys, one large and one normal sized, leaned against the frame of the giant doors to the library. Many heads turn to look at the direction of the noise but once they all saw the two, many people would scoff and return to reading. Before Jongdae could wonder Junmyeon was already heading towards them. He followed.  
  
“Firstly, I’m not a siren. Second, this is a library, Baekyhun, Chanyeol.” He gave them what he thinks is a stern frown, but Jongdae could see they didn’t think much of it. “What do you want?”  
  
“I heard there was a new kid.” The taller one tilts his head in Jongdae’s direction and mock whispers, “Introduce us to the godling.”  
  
“I’m not- “  
  
The normal sized one scuffles closer to Jongdae and throws his arm around his shoulders. “He’s cute. I like him. I’ll take over from here, siren.”  
  
“Excuse me- come back here!”  
  
Before he could reach out a hand to either stop Baekhyun or cover his mouth from his own screeching, Baekhyun took Jongdae’s hand and the three ran.  
  
  
  
  
“See! Much better than a library!” Baekyhun gestures to the view in front of them. Jongdae wasn’t really sure what kind of school this was but it was surrounded by a vast and very green garden. Every time Jongdae concentrated on one part of the garden, the area around it seemed to blur and shift and it was hard for him to really figure out what was exactly where.  
  
“You know, I’m surprised you haven’t gone crazy yet.”  
  
Jongdae gave Chanyeol a look. What was he talking about?  
  
Chanyeol’s face became warmer and his mouth turns into a smile. It vaguely reminds Jongdae of the sun. _And that bastard_  
  
“The gardens are enchanted. They change themselves as they like and unless they like you, you’ll never get where you want to go. At least, if you’re inexperienced. Like all magic of course, if you will it hard enough, you’ll get there eventually. Won’t be on time but if you are pitiful enough, they won’t give you a problem.”  
  
Baekhyun scoffs besides Jongdae. He puts his hands over Jongdae’s ears loosely. “Don’t fill his head with those. They’re just enchanted rocks and grass. It’s not as if they’re living. Listen, if you will it enough, you’ll get through it just fine.”  
  
Jongdae’s heart hurt to hear Baekhyun’s words, _honestly, heart of steel does nothing for me_ , but he is curious about the garden. “What’s the spell for it?”  
  
“What spell?” Baekhyun looks at Jongdae with wide eyes.  
  
“Like… an incantation? A spell to get you where you want to go?” He squirms under Baekhyun’s loose gaze. “Like... in the garden?” He can’t help feeling a bit stupid for asking.  
  
Chanyeol observes Jongdae before speaking. “We don’t usually do that here. We might say a word or two to help the intention along but…” He looks thoughtfully at Jongdae. “Is that what they teach in Heaven?”  
  
Jongdae had never heard his home referred to in that way but he supposes that’s what others call it. “Um, well my teachers always tell us to use words. Especially the lesser gods and younger ones like me. If we don’t use words, often…”  
  
Jongdae split open a small hill once. He was trying to split open an egg. He was in detention for a hundred years and _that asshole_ only sent a lightning bolt once. It was incredibly dark in detention and Jongdae didn’t want to do that again. Only the big gods did magic without words but even they sometimes mess up. Atlantis started sinking because the Ocean got distracted. Now it doesn’t even exist.  
  
“Ah but you’re older now! Rhymes and incantations are for babies. Wouldn’t get caught dead doing them. Wordless spells and magic are the way the cool kids do it nowadays.” Baekhyun smiles mischievously at Jongdae. “Let’s go, godling!”  
  
Before Jongdae could ask where, his two new friends disappeared into the gardens. Jongdae felt a bit cheated with Chanyeol. He was so noisy at first, but he was also a gentle giant. And observant. And Baekhyun was… well noisy. For someone like Jongdae who had been silent for thousands for years, noisy was nice.  
  
Something else about Baekhyun was interesting. His magic, even when he wasn’t actively using it, was soft and light. It was bright in the way the Sky’s magic isn’t. He likes it, but…  
  
He shrugs it off and follows the two boys into the thicket. He says a simple, “Follow the two, if it pleases you to.” It was a bad rhyme but the gardens seem to giggle at him and he found him. He didn’t tell them how, but that wasn’t necessary.  
  
  
  
  
It takes getting used to, but Jongdae eventually figures out how to work the gardens. It takes him longer to work the mirrors though.  
  
“What do you mean you don’t know how to use the mirror?”  
  
“I know how to use a mirror.” He wants to smack his roommate Kyungsoo a little for his condescending attitude, but the sprite was really strong and no matter how hard Jongdae’s muscles were, he didn’t want to test it against him. He also likes Kyungsoo quite a bit so he wouldn’t really ever want to hit him.  
  
“I stare at my face and make sure it looks clean, and I go out the front door, you know like normal people. Sometimes my reflection likes to skip out on me if it’s too early but otherwise I know how to use a mirror.”  
  
“To travel Jongdae.”  
  
“Wait- what?”  
  
Kyungsoo stares at Jongdae for an incredibly long time that Jongdae starts to fidget under his gaze. Finally, he walks over to the mirror, taps it and says, “Go.”  
  
The mirror’s reflection starts to turn cloudy and the surface ripples. The clouds darken in an instance and through it, Jongdae can clearly see Baekhyun’s room. He’s even sleeping in his bed.  
  
“Whoa, can we just- “  
  
“No. We don’t have permission to go in. I have permission to view his room, but I did catch him dressing once, so I try not to do it too often.”  
  
“What you mean, we can’t just-, “He puts his hand up to where the glass should be and presses his hand past it. There’s a ripple of magic, and he can feel where the two spaces are separate but there doesn’t seem to be anything blocking him from going to the other side.  
  
“Oh. Huh. Baekhyun must’ve given you permission.” The side of Kyungsoo’s mouth twitches and it looks like the beginning of a smile to Jongdae. “You know what, you should wake him up.”  
  
“Really? Isn’t it a bit ear- oh.” Jongdae knows what Kyungsoo wants. With a running start, Jongdae screams his way into Baekhyun’s room and leaps into his bed. The whole dorm hears when Baekhyun starts screaming back and when they both land on the floor. They’re so loud even Chanyeol sends a fireball at them from the chimney.  
  
  
Later on at breakfast, Jongdae explains to Kyungsoo with an asleep Baekhyun drooling on his shoulder that in Heaven, they have clouds they ride on to get from different classes since they were often on different sides of Heaven. It was very vast up there, he explains. Kyungsoo nods politely and Chanyeol is incredulous at them “keeping poor clouds as pets to ride on all day, what about their feelings?”  
  
  
  
When the Sky first told him he would go down to Earth to study, he protested furiously. He had never been to Earth, even if the other Celestials went often to play. He had no interest in what happens down the Tree. He could barely keep up with studies as it is.  
  
“It will be good for you. Your magic will be muted in that form, but you’ll still be strong. And Earth can teach you many things.” He paused. And then said with his God voice, “You’re going and that’s final.”  
  
_Cause of course no one argues with you, you bully._  
  
“People argue plenty, but I get my way.”  
  
_Stop reading my mind._  
  
“Stop thinking so loud.”  
  
“I HATE YOU.”  
  
He had stomped off then, but the next day he was shoved off the plane and fell for a really long time and ended up on the doorsteps of the school.  
  
Kyungsoo always listens to Jongdae whenever he told stories of home. Jongdae was more interested when Kyungsoo talks about his home, the school, magic, even their friends. He hated to admit it but he never knew there was much he didn’t know about the world. He only concerned himself with everything at the top of the Tree.  
  
One day, Kyungsoo mentions “magic compatibility” to Jongdae.  
  
“The more elements you can control, the stronger you are. However, there’s always one or two elements that you’ll have an affinity for. Your magic will always be strongest in those elements.”  
  
“Oh! Like you and earth!” Jongdae thinks some more. “But also… strength.”  
  
“Yes, you have it too.” Jongdae looks at Kyungsoo with confusion. “Not strength, but earth.”  
  
Jongdae’s tongue sticks itself to the roof of his mouth and he doesn’t know how to get it to work. Most people usually think it’s, “That and lightning.”  
  
“Hm, uh, yeah.” Jongdae searches for something to say.  
  
“It’s interesting. You have two physical elements even though you’re from Heaven.”  
  
Junmyeon, who had been studying near them, looks up and comments, “True. Most Celestials have one physical and a metaphysical. Yixing over there is healing and earth.”  
  
_That’s cause he’s a flower godling. Did they not know that?_  
  
“Jongdae, since you’re earth and lightning, you must be related to the Sky!”  
  
Jongdae can feel his cheeks heat up. He doesn’t like where this is going. He shrugs and makes an excuse to look for Baekhyun or Chanyeol. They’re usually more into activities than talking.  
  
  
  
  
He brings it up with the two later on.  
  
He finds them hanging around some geysers. To be exact, Chanyeol was sitting in the geyser pool, very close to where lava was spewing. Jongdae instinctively inched away it. Fire demons are strange.  
  
As if he knew what Jongdae was thinking, Chanyeol gets out the water and flames start to engulf his body. His hair starts to curl out and the ends flicker with small flames. Jongdae’s favorite part about Chanyeol’s demon body was his face. Most of his face stayed the same except for his left eye. A patch around it turned black and flames moved under his skin like the insides of charcoal. He looked more menacing than he really was.  
  
Once he was changed, he hopped over to the lava and sank in. For all Jongdae knew, it was just like a regular hot spring to Chanyeol. He was slightly envious but also he feared the fire demon just a little.  
  
He scoots closer to where Baekhyun sat near some bushes and rests his head on Baekhyun’s shoulders. He starts to tell them about the “magic compatibility” until Chanyeol interrupts.  
  
“You know; some people say you can find your true love that way.”  
  
“What- how?”  
  
Baekhyun laughs and explains to Jongdae, “They say if you pull at the strings of magic and separate them one by one, you’ll find one that’s red.’  
  
He pauses a little. Kyungsoo looks at Jongdae meaningfully.  
  
‘The person who’s on the other side of that red string is the one you’ll love.”  
  
Jongdae laughs. “That’s so complicated. Who would even try to do that? Even if you could pull at the strings, there are millions of them. Much less a _red_ string”  
  
The Lord of Fates taught him personally about those strings and threads of magic when he was still a young Celestial. He had to get private tutoring because he kept pulling the wrong magic to do things he wanted. (Hence the split hill.) He knew first-hand that he had no red string. Perhaps Celestials were different in that manner.  
  
“Have you ever tried it?”  
  
Baekhyun and Chanyeol gave each other a look and Chanyeol swiftly got out of the lava and slinked away. “Dinner” he says over his shoulders even though it was clearly midday.  
  
“Um.”  
  
“We tried to see if we had each other’s string. Chanyeol found the string but couldn’t follow it anywhere.”  
  
“And you?”  
  
“There wasn’t a red one.”  
  
For the first time in the two months that Jongdae had been at the school did Jongdae see Baekhyun’s face fall. His eyes were downcast and he rubbed his hands nervously together.  
  
“If it makes you feel better, I don’t have one either.”  
  
Jongdae can see it doesn’t make him feel better. Instead, he grabs Baekhyun’s hands and squeezes. Baekhyun smiles and Jongdae intertwines their fingers and smiles at him again. He doesn’t know what comes over him but he leans forward and presses his lips to Baekhyun’s forehead. Baekhyun gives him a small laugh and smile. “I think your magic is great Baekhyun. Even if there’s no red string, there are still brilliant colors in your magic. All bright and beautiful.”  
  
“You can see my magic?”  
  
“Can’t everyone?”  
  
Baekhyun turns to look up at Jongdae. He looks from one eye to the other. Jongdae’s not sure what he’s looking for.  
  
“You have pretty eyelashes.”  
  
He wasn’t expecting that, but he takes compliments well. “Thank you! They’re natural!”  
  
They both laugh and the subject is dropped.  
  
  
  
It happens one day when they least expect it. They’re all out playing a combination of tag and hide and seek. It was easier in Heaven when all his friends rode clouds and they confided the area to just the Peach Garden (even the Mother didn’t object too much as long as they didn’t eat her peaches). At school, the only suitable place was the gardens.  
  
Jongdae found out quickly that the gardens took a great liking to him. He had an idea why but instead of helping him get around, the gardens would instead purposefully lead him somewhere very far from where he meant to be but it was always an adventure.  
  
This time, as Jongdae and Baekhyun were escaping Kyungsoo’s mud balls, Jongdae has an idea of going to a section of the gardens where the lilies were as tall as the trees in the rainforests and with rivers underneath them.  
  
That’s where he intended, but where they end up is vastly different.  
  
Instead of the cyan blue light streaming through the giant lily petals in the canopy, they were in a dark, dank forest. The light streaming in was still and silent and it seemed as if it could mute even sounds. Jongdae’s hand instinctively searches for Baekhyun’s hand.  
  
“Sorry I didn’t mean for us to go here, I- “  
  
“No it’s okay I wasn’t thinking clearly either.”  
  
Looking around, Jongdae finds a dry stump to sit on. He pats the space next to him. Baekhyun walks over and sits down, hanging one leg dangling off Jongdae’s lap. “What should we do?”  
  
“I doubt Kyungsoo would find us here. The air here is so still even magic would- “  
  
“He would still find us.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Jongdae turns to look at Baekhyun. He seemed so sure and there was a hint of bitterness in it. Even if Baekhyun as leaning back on his hands, one leg on Jongdae, looking the very image of careless demeanor, there was a bite in his words.  
  
“He’ll put on the string, and even if it’s empty space, he would still find you.”  
  
“What are you talking about?”  
  
“Nothing, never mind. Do you think we’ll be able to get back from here? Or an escape route really when Kyungsoo finds us? The entrance disappeared.”  
  
Jongdae looks up and his heart sinks to the pit of his stomach. The way they came seemed to have been swallowed up by the vines or the bark, or… Jongdae looks up. Perhaps the forest itself.  
  
“Let’s try to magic our way back home.”  
  
“My magic won’t work here. There’s not enough living magic in this light…”  
  
Jongdae finds himself surprised. He had not known that Baekhyun required something like that for his magic.  
  
“We’re not all godlings you know. I have limitations.”  
  
Jongdae didn’t like the way he said it. “I have my own limitations too. Why do you keep! Ugh.” He threw Baekhyun’s leg off of him and stands up to walk away.  
  
In the distance overhear, he hears a familiar rumble.  
  
_He’s coming._  
  
Panic hits Jongdae quickly, and he turns around to grab Baekhyun. However, when he turns around, Baekhyun was gone. He hadn’t heard Baekhyun get up to leave. In fact, he couldn’t hear anything at all.  
  
The forest was silent.  
  
His hands start to shake and Jongdae has never felt adrenaline of this kind before. There’s the surge of excitement when you play a game, but right now this type of excitement threatens to swallow him whole. He drops to the ground. It makes him feel better. He lived thousands of year sitting on dirt and other rocks. Earth is home, even if the earth in this forest is not _his_.  
  
_Where is Baekhyun?_  
  
It won’t speak to him.  
  
_Fine. I’ll do it the other way._ He brings both fists and pounds the ground around him. _Give._ Pound. _Me._ Pound. _Back_ Pound. _Baekhyun._ He roars Baehyun’s name out loud.  
  
Electricity scorches the ground where his fists had met the earth. He gets up and looks at the indent. He had melted parts of the ground and in its place were pieces of broken glass.  
  
He holds out his hand, a ball of energy starting to form. Aloud he says, “If you don’t tell me where he is, I will burn down the trees and turn your ground into a sea of broken glass.” _I took a seven-week class on how to order people around using magic so this had better work._  
  
Suddenly, there’s a movement. A bubble burst from what seemed to be a swamp. Jongdae had thought it was all ground before, but the swamp hid itself easily. He runs over under he’s at the edge and thrusts an arm in and grabs. He doesn’t even need to see to know that it’s Baekhyun.  
  
Once Baekhyun had coughed all the swamp out of his lungs, he throws himself into Jongdae’s arms. “I’m sorry I’m a dick. I didn’t mean to make you angry, I was just- I don’t know and you threw me away and- “  
  
And he keeps talking, but all Jongdae thinks about is that Baekhyun is safe. He’d never been afraid before. He never had to worry about death. That rarely happened in the celestial plane and when it was time, the end wasn’t scary. This was scary.  
  
He just pats Baekhyun’s back until he stops apologizing. “Jongdae, I think it’s the forest. Something here… isn’t right. I… I can’t feel my magic. It won’t do what I want.”  
  
“Speak to it, Baek.”  
  
“Even if I talk to my magic like you do, by the way, you gotta teach me how to do that, it won’t listen to me here. I’ll end up making it darker in here.”  
  
“Sing it.” Jongdae was getting really tired. He tried his best to stay awake. “You sing so well, I’m sure it’ll work.”  
  
“I’ve never really sung magic before.” He protests but Jongdae can feel him tighten his arms around Jongdae when his head falls forward to meet Baekhyun’s shoulder. “I’ll try it.”  
  
Jongdae doesn’t know what Baekhyun sings but it sounds like home and warmth. When he opens his eyes, they’re back on the lawn, at the entrance to the gardens.  
  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo lays Jongdae down flat on his back as the others help Baekhyun get water. He’s still holding on tightly to Jongdae and weakly singing. It must’ve taken a lot out of him.  
  
Raindrops start to fall down and thunder. The air around them feels charged and Jongdae stiffens.  
  
_He’s here!_  
  
Lightning strikes and Jongdae knows exactly where it’s headed. He grabs Baekhyun and rolls him under him as it hits. The electricity falls in cascades and ripples all over his body and he lets his magic absorb it. He feels better than when he drinks those so-called energizer drinks Chanyeol gives him all the time.  
  
He turns around and glares at the sky.  
  
“What the hell, old man?”  
  
He knows he looks like a maniac yelling at the sky. He knows that all his friends are staring at him in disbelieve. But he’s angry. After all, the Sky tried to hurt Baekhyun.  
  
“You don’t think he’s damaged enough; you have to add more?”  
  
The clouds above roar back at Jongdae.  
  
“No, you asshole. I am perfectly alive and it’s no thanks to you!”  
  
The Sky must’ve had the Lord Thunder working extra hard on the drums up there.  
  
“Maybe you shouldn’t have been a careless- “  
  
A strong arm grabs Jongdae around the waist, and he finds Kyungsoo and Junmyeon carrying back inside. Yixing and Chanyeol follow them with Baekhyun in tow.  
  
Yixing looks up at where Jongdae continues to argue with the Sky hanging over Kyungsoo’s shoulders and laughs. “Maybe you should keep the family drama for when you two are alone. It won’t do to have a father-son spat where everyone can hear.”  
  
Chanyeol whispers, “I _knew_ it.”  
  
“HE’S NOT MY FATHER.”  
  
There’s lightning this time and Jongdae is sure that the Lady must’ve made it because it was less sharp than the last bolt. She always had a soft spot for him.  
  
Not heeding Yixing’s words though, he continues to yell at the Sky even when they return to their rooms. Kyungsoo finally manages to soothe Jongdae down and threatens to shove the sleeping draught that Yixing prepared if he didn’t drink it himself.  
  
  
  
  
“Why is there so much light in here? Did a pixie die in here?” Jongdae groans and covers himself with his blanket. Hands pull at the blanket and a face shoves itself into Jongdae’s vision.  
  
“What are you talking about? It’s just regular light and I’m not even adding any magic to it.”  
  
“Baekhyun.” Jongdae reaches up to stroke the side of Baekhyun’s face before pushing him away. “Sleep.”  
  
It wasn’t an order, just a general comment, but Baekhyun gets under the blanket anyway. Snuggling close to Jongdae, he starts to talk.  
  
“You know, you’ve been sleeping for a couple of days now.”  
  
_What._  
  
“Your father raged a massive thunder storm at the school for the first 48 hours.”  
  
_He’s doing too much._  
  
“Kyungsoo calmed him down and he went away. It’s been silent ever since.”  
  
_Kyungsoo?_  
  
A voice from across the room speaks up, “You’ve been singing all over the place. It had not been silent at all.”  
  
Jongdae smiles. He loves the dry tone to Kyungsoo’s voice and gives Kyungsoo a fond smile from behind Baekhyun’s back.  
  
“Singing, eh? How’s that working for you?”  
  
Baekhyun flushes a little. “Well, I- I never said that spoken spells were bad. It’s just- it’s not the same as spoke spells! It’s different- I- they don’t teach that here! I mean I’m a very open person. I’ve never let my schooling interfere with my education. Plus I’m a great singer. Did you know the inflection of your singing changes the intensity of the magic- also the words don’t even matter, it’s the singing-”?  
  
Jongdae and Kyungsoo laugh as Baekhyun recounts his very scientific approach to singing his magic and how un-kiddish it was.  
  
  
  
  
  
Time flies when you’re having fun, as people on Earth would say it. Jongdae looks at the calendar hung up above his desk. The first few weeks, even if he had made friends, he would mark the days off, one by one. He felt like a prisoner etching lines upon their prison walls to see how long they’ve been there. At some point, he stopped crossing days off. He simply was too busy.  
  
But it’s almost the last day now. The Sky had promised only one semester and lo and behold, almost half a year has gone by. Jongdae was going home soon.  
  
It was bittersweet. He never realized how much Earth would have to offer him.  
  
His bags were packed. Baekhyun had made sure he had all the souvenirs he would need and Chanyeol gave him a hand carved instrument. He didn’t know how to play it but he’d learn. He had lots of time. Kyungsoo, being the great roommate that he was, helped Jongdae pack everything. Jongdae promised to get a word in with the Academy back at home so they’d let Kyungsoo come study for a bit. He also extended the offer to Baekhyun, but they both knew Kyungsoo wanted it more. And of course Kyungsoo was the official True Love.  
  
  
  
  
The night before he had to go back, Beakhyun steals Jongdae away from his going away party. They walk the length of the lawn and talking about random trivial things. When they got to the entrance of the gardens, they instinctively grabbed for the other’s hand. After the whole debacle with the Sky, the gardens decided to stay unchanging as long as Jongdae is in it. He appreciated it a lot.  
  
About five steps into the gardens, Baekhyun goes quiet. He goes quiet more often around Jongdae these days. At first he was worried, but the silence was never uncomfortable or awkward. In the end, Jongdae figured that even Baekhyun needs quiet too. He often would wander the gardens without thinking to run into Baekhyun somewhere in a nook, just silent and staring off into space. The first time it happened, Jongdae apologized profusely when he found it was Baekhyun’s safe place in school. Then, and even now, Baekhyun laughed at him and said it was fine. Jongdae is always welcomed in his safe place.  
  
They walk a bit more and Baekhyun starts talking. “You know, you and Kyungsoo…”  
  
Jongdae always wondered why Baekhyun was so bothered when they talked about Kyungsoo. It seemed like Baekhyun thought a lot about it. He tried not to let it get Baekhyun down.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
Baekhyun’s eyebrows furrow and Jongdae wants to smooth it out. “Do you love him?”  
  
“Of course I do. I loved him even before you all told me he was my True Love.”  
  
Baekhyun looks away and his grip loosens from Jongdae’s fingers. “What are you doing?”  
  
“It doesn’t feel right. You’re not- “  
  
“Mine? You’re mine, Baekhyun.”  
  
Baekhyun throws Jongdae’s hand away and starts to stomp back. “You can’t do that! You can’t just- It’s not fair to Kyungsoo!”  
  
Jongdae grabs Baekyhun’s wrist and stops him before he gets too far. “Stop, let me explain.”  
  
He sits down in the middle of the path and urges Baekhyun to do that same. They sit cross-legged, knee to knee.  
  
“I love Kyungsoo.” Baekhyun tries to hide the short intake of breath, but Jongdae catches it. “He’s my True Love and that won’t change. Even I can see the red string now.”  
  
Baekhyun’s chest starts to deflate and Jongdae wants to laugh and coo at him.  
  
“But love comes in many forms, Baekhyun. In Heaven, it’s not unheard of to have True Loves that aren’t…um.” He wiggles his eyebrows and Baekhyun laughs.  
  
“But you. I-, “He makes sure to look Baekhyun in the eyes.  
  
“I love you.” He can see Baekhyun’s pupil shake and how he sucks in his bottom lip. “I’m _in_ love with you.” He wants Baekhyun to know for sure.  
  
Baekhyun lets out a shaky breath and laughs. “I love you, too.” And like that, Baekhyun’s light becomes brighter, warmer, and Jongdae wants to melt in it. Baekhyun will surely tease Jongdae about this later and Jongdae will let him. He’s been in love with Baekhyun longer than he even knew.  
  
He leans forward to catch Baekhyun’s laughing mouth and it’s all teeth at first. Even when he kisses back, Jongdae can taste his smile through his lips. Their hands find each other and their heads both tilt to fall into each other’s rhythm.  
  
Even like this, Jongdae knew. The way his soul rested against Baekhyun’s was a perfect fit. When the Tree was a seed, Jongdae’s speck of soul must’ve rested next to Baekhyun’s. It felt like coming home.  
  
  
  
  
Much later, they make their way back to the school. Jongdae can feel Baekhyun squirming to ask. Finally, he stops and turns to look at Jongdae. Meeting him eye to eye, he asks, “Jongdae, what are you?”  
  
Jongdae’s mouth goes dry. He had expected the question eventually but he didn’t know how to explain or where to begin.  
  
Baekhyun sighs and walks over to the edge of the stone bridge they were on. He leans against it, thinking to himself. “They said you were from Heaven, from the celestial plane. Everyone says you’re a godling. Your magic, your powers are strong, stronger than anyone I’ve seen. You wield lightning as if it was second nature and-, “He sucks in a breath. “The Sky calls you his son. But you keep saying you’re none of that. I don’t understand.”  
  
Jongdae purses his lips. He supposes that before he simply just _was_ and had never thought about what it meant to other people. The other kids in Heaven didn’t seem to think too much about where Jongdae came from, though he did get picked on a bit for what he was.  
  
He starts off with what he knows.  
  
“Baekhyun, it’s true I come from up there.” Vague gestures towards the sky. “But I’m really not a godling, I don’t think.’  
  
‘I’m just a stone.”  
  
Beakhyun’s mouth drops. He wasn’t expecting that and at first he looked shocked and now Jongdae steps back because it looks like Baekhyun might hit him.  
  
“I’m telling the truth. I- I’m a stone. Or I was a stone.” _No, that’s not right_. “I mean, I still am a stone but I’m just older with more experience.”  
  
“That makes no sense at all. Older stones are just smoother.”  
  
Jongdae looks at his body. “I think I’m pretty smooth all around.”  
  
“Have you seen your cheekbones? Have you seen your as- You know, that’s not the point. Continue.”  
  
“Well, I’m originally just a stone by a riverbed in the Southeast end. The Sky came by often, but every time he came, he was always angry. It was where he came when he was angry.”  
  
Jongdae thought a bit. “It’s a bit like you having your safe place.” Baekhyun nods.  
  
“Anyway, every single time he came by, he would hurl lightning everywhere. There was always storms. At first, my brothers and sisters were all afraid but after a thousand years or so, we got used to it. He threw a lot of tantrums and whined to the Chen river a lot.”  
  
“I see where you get that from.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Nothing. Go on.”  
  
Jongdae eyes Baekhyun suspiciously from where he leaned on the opposite end of the bridge.  
  
“After a long time, I guess I grew myself enough soul that I could think. I realized that every time the Sky came his bolts seemed to always hit me more than the others. You know, they really hurt even if they never cracked or split any of my edges off.”  
  
Baekyhun’s face was full of disbelief again. Jongdae decides to shorten the story up.  
  
“Anyway, after a while he noticed that I would get angry whenever he did it so he did it more often, probably to piss me off. Eventually, I was able to create a form for myself and I told him off. He thought it was the cutest thing apparently, and from then on would come over crowing over how beautiful I was or something like that. After some more time, stuff happened, and I eventually went to the Academy and learned more about the world. I mentioned Earth like once and then he decided to send me here as an exchange student.”  
  
Baekhyun’s hands were ruffling his hair now and the ends that stuck out looked like small antlers. Baekhyun was really cute like this so Jongdae didn’t want to stop him.  
  
Suddenly Jongdae yelps. Baekhyun looks up at Jongdae with alarm. “I wonder how Minseok is doing in Heaven. He’s a cute frost sprite so they probably will like him but I wonder if he’s strong enough…”  
  
“He’s from the North so I think he’s fine.”  
  
“North where?”  
  
“Like…you know North…Po- Never mind. It’s an Earth thing.”  
  
As if on cue, the breeze grew colder and small delicate snowflakes appeared.  
  
“I guess he’s doing well if he’s out eavesdropping on things happening on Earth.”  
  
Baekhyun looks alarmed and turns to face the sky. Whatever he was thinking of, or intending, Baekhyun’s nose starts to scrunch and wrinkle and he gives a sniff of finality at the end. As if in response to him, the snow came down harder.  
  
In minutes, the entire garden and even the school was covered in snow and yet it was still coming.  
  
While Jongdae much prefer cold weather to heat as a stone, this form really, really didn’t like coldness. “Look what you did.” He whines at Baekhyun and includes a stomp for good measure.  
  
Baekyhun smiles and gives a small embarrassed cough. “It’s almost Christmas anyway. It was bound to snow sooner or later.”  
  
“I’M COLD.”  
  
Laughter rings the air as Baekhyun grabs his sides. Jongdae can feel himself blush. Even if Baekhyun’s laughter vibrates like music and it feels bright like his magic, Jongdae was still cold. Baekhyun walks over and brings an arm around Jongdae’s waist, pulling him closer to his body. He starts them walking back to the school.  
  
  
  
“So,” Chanyeol starts the next morning. It’s Jongdae’s last day at school and he would really rather not but, “I hear you’re a stone.”  
  
“Eat your eggs, Chanyeol.”  
  
Chanyeol smiles at Jongdae with all his teeth now. “Jongdae…. the cute, noisy stone.”  
  
“I swear to- “  
  
“Gonna call your father about this, hm?” He points a fork with sausage at the end of it at Jongdae and pokes the air a couple of times. Jongdae is _thisclose_ to snatching the sausage, out of revenge.  
  
Baekhyun pats Jongdae’s back a few times and coos, “Aw come on, Chanyeol, stop. Leave my poor stone alone.” He has a grin that makes Jongdae want to drop him on the ground.  
  
“I hate you both.” He steals the sausage right off Chanyeol’s fork and then snatches Baekhyun’s orange too, for good measure.  
  
“Always knew you were a _hard_ friend to keep.”  
  
This time, Kyungsoo smacks Chanyeol and Jongdae smiles at him in thanks.  
  
He’ll miss his friends and his life on earth. He wonders if he could sneak down sometime for the long term. He supposes he could try splitting open a mountain this time and maybe his good-for-nothing dad will send him down again. He smiles. That is something Baekhyun would do.  
  
He figures, he needs a little bit more education anyway.  
---  
  
**Author's Note:**

> If anyone was wondering, most of the mythology is Chinese (Sky, Lord Thunder) with a pinch of Norwegian mythology (Tree of Life) in it. There's some MAMA mytho in it too (Chanyeol's demon form is inspired by the MAMA face painting all the members had).


End file.
